Andrea Leinfelder
Space Reporter at Houston Chronicle
Space reporter @HoustonChron. Foodie, adventure seeker and new mom. @UFlorida alumna. Send tips and favorite sci-fi references to [email protected].
Articles
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4 days ago |
houstonchronicle.com | Andrea Leinfelder
Texas’ state plant, the prickly pear cactus, is being devoured by invasive caterpillars. The red larvae with black spots are eating a state icon, codified as a “hearty and beautiful denizen of the Texas landscape.” The cactus provides food and shelter for native animals, and it reflects the state’s close ties to Mexico as an ingredient in kitchens on both sides of the border.
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1 week ago |
houstonchronicle.com | Andrea Leinfelder
The International Space Station is facing a $1 billion budget shortfall – separate from President Donald Trump's plans to further cut funding – that will require dropping the number of NASA astronauts on the orbiting platform. NASA funding for the space station program is projected to be $1 billion short of previously approved budgets through fiscal 2029, ISS Program Manager Dana Weigel said Tuesday morning in an email reviewed by the Houston Chronicle.
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1 week ago |
houstonchronicle.com | Andrea Leinfelder
Federal regulators have determined that SpaceX can increase its Starship rocket launches to 25 times a year without causing significant environmental impacts in South Texas. The Federal Aviation Administration cleared a major hurdle for the company on Tuesday by releasing its final environmental assessment, one of four areas that must be reviewed before SpaceX can increase its Starship launch cadence beyond the currently approved five a year.
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1 week ago |
houstonchronicle.com | Andrea Leinfelder
The small community that surrounds a SpaceX facility in South Texas heads to the polls today to determine if it wants to become the city of Starbase. Voters will cast ballots to decide on incorporation and, if approved, who will run the new city. According to Cameron County, 181 people voted early. Article continues below this adSpaceX is among those championing the area becoming a city, which would be home to its employees and Starship rocket.
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1 week ago |
houstonchronicle.com | Andrea Leinfelder
President Donald Trump on Friday released a budget request that would slash NASA funding by 25% and result in the end of Houston-area programs. The 2026 budget request would allocate roughly $18.6 billion to NASA, down from $24.9 billion in fiscal year 2024. The 2026 budget would make deep cuts in science programs and prioritize sending humans to the moon and Mars, a key priority for Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
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U.S. Sen. John Cornyn introduced legislation on Tuesday that would provide $1 billion to upgrade NASA’s human spaceflight facilities in Houston. He called it the Mission to MARS Act, emphasizing President Donald Trump's desire to send humans to Mars. https://t.co/4l44dxg6NR
RT @NASA: Help design a Moon Mascot for our Artemis II mission! NASA experts will be streaming on @Twitch on Tuesday, May 13, to live-ske…
Texas’ state plant, the prickly pear cactus, is being devoured by invasive caterpillars. Can releasing thousands of tiny wasps save the day? https://t.co/5HDQcBBptr via @houstonchron
